AACTA and Sony have joined forces to launch a national short film pitching competition for student filmmakers, with $15,000 worth of production funding on offer.
Entries are now open for AACTA Pitch: Focus, with teams to be made up of a director, writer, producer, editor, and cinematographer with at least one member of the team actively pursuing studies in film or screen.
Teams are asked to submit their creative ideas for a short fiction film (4 – 10 minutes) via a three-minute video pitch.
The top five entries will then be provided with a loan Sony equipment kit, valued at over $2,500, to shoot a short proof of concept over two weeks.
These teams will go on to participate in a live pitch at AACTA ScreenFest in December.
Each finalist will have the opportunity to screen their proof of concept and pitch their short film in front of a judging panel for the chance to win the grand prize which includes $15,000 in production funds, a loan Sony equipment kit (valued at over $6,000), feedback and guidance throughout the production process,
mentoring opportunities, and tickets to the 2021 AACTA Awards. The winner will also be included in the 2022 Sony Film Festival.
“Sony is delighted to be able to provide this exciting opportunity to students currently studying cinema, film and filmmaking across Australia. Sony hopes this development initiative will unearth Australia’s rising stars in cinema and provide a platform for the future careers of Australian filmmakers,” said Sony Australia head of digital imaging Jun Yoon.
AACTA awards and industry development manager Ivan Vukusic hopes the initiative will encourage and nurture the next generation by providing a platform, mentorship, and equipment.
“We can’t wait to see this year’s entries and look forward to offering more opportunities to young Australian screen creatives in the future.”
Projects that demonstrate the following are likely to be the most successful:
• New, creative and unique ways to engage audiences;
• Strong characters that resonate with audiences;
• Ideas that bend genres and break new ground.
Entry is $50 for teams that have at least one AACTA member and $90 for teams comprised of non-members. Round one entries close October 25.